Venetian blind ladder tape



July 21, 1942.L

W. D. CLARK, JR VENETIAN BLIND LADDER TAPE Filed Feb. 24, '1941 i/ f f S/ EEE- l 1NVENTOR.

N/ TNESS."

ATTORNEYS.

Patented vJuly 21, 1942 UNITED STATES vPATENT vvorifice:

VENETIAN BLIND LADDER TAPE William D. Clark, Jr., Belleville, N. J.

Application February 24, 1941, Serial No. 380,119

6 Claims. (Cl. 156-17) This invention relatesl to improvements in ladder tapes for Venetian blinds.

The main object of the invention resides in a Venetian blind ladder tape constructed of paper in lieu of the conventional woven fabric tapes heretofore exclusively used for supporting the slats of the blind.

Another feature of the invention is to provide a Venetian blind ladder tape made of paper which is sufficiently strong to support the weight of the slats, and by reason of the inherent ilexability of the paper, uniform folding ofthe suspension tapes is obtained without necessitating scoring of the same.

A further feature of the invention is the provision of a Venetian blind ladder tape made entirely of paper in which the vertical paper suspension strips are reinforced by the paper ladder or cross strips which are adhesively secured to the suspension strips at the inner sides thereof. i

A still further feature ofthe invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive Venetian blind ladder tape of paper which is comparable in appearance to the more expensive woven xfabric ladder tapes, and which may be made indifferent color paper to match theV color of the slats or be of an artistic contrasting color from that of the slats.

Other novel features oi the invention will become apparent as the following specification is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which, i

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a conventional Venetian blind embodying the improved paper ladder tapes, part o one tape being broken away in section.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional perspective view of the paper ladder tape.

Figure 3 is a detail vertical transverse sectional view through the paper ladder tape, the slats and hoisting cords being illustrad in dot and dash lines.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view on the line d-A of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a detail side elevational view illustrating the manner in which the tapes evenly fold when the blind is in raised position.

Referring to the drawing by reference characters, the numeral it designates a Venetian blind including my improved ladder tapes Il-- The upper ends of the ladder tapes are connected to a tilting mechanism enclosed within a head rail i2 while the lower ends are connected to a botslats I4 intermediate the head rail IZ-and the 'ser paper, aumugh manna, craft and scher t of paper may be used as the suson strips if so desired.

Connecting the inner sides of the suspension strips l-i. at equal sp distances therealong, are dat supporting elements li. Each nat supporting element I8 is constructed of paper whch may be of alighter texture the paper used for the suspension strips ic-l, and when the ladder tapes are spread apart, each slat supporting element includes a connecting bridge por.. tion il and upstanding attaching leg portions |8I8. The inner sides of the leg portions l-IB are adhesively secured to ,the inner sides of the suspension strips IB--IB as at I8. The upper ends of the leg portions ll-ll underlie the lower portions of the leg portions lB-il of the next adjacent higher slat supporting element, whereby the suspension strips IS-li are reinforced along their entire length by reason of the attaching leg portions I8-l8. The paper from which the iiat supporting elements I8 are constructed may be of a width corresponding to that of the strips I5|5, or they may be slightly narrower so as to be substantially concealed by the suspension strips lE-l. Each cross portion or bridge portion Il is provided with an elongated slot 20 for the passage of the raising. and lowering cords 2l of the Venetian blind I0. The suspension strips I B-IS may be of desired color as may the slat supporting elements IB, depending upon the color scheme of the Venetian blind and the decgrationsfof a room in which the blind is to be ung.

The Venetian blind slats ld extend transverse- 1y of the ladder tapes II--l I, and are supported by the bridge or cross portions il of the slat opened position as illustrated in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive, the slats Il assume a horizontal position, but by the manipulation of the tilting mechanlsm wi the head rail, various adjustments tom rail I3, the ladder tapes ii-il supporting oi' fs..- arity of the slats is possible. When the of withstanding the strain of ordinary use to which a Venetian blind is subjected. In the event that the ladder tape should become soiled or broken, the same may be readily disconnected from the head rail and the bottom rail. and a new tape substituted therefor, by one unskilled in the art.

WhileI have shown and described what I coni sider to be the most practical embodiment of my invention, I wish it to be understood that such changes and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims may be resorted to ii' desired, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

l. A Venetian blind ladder tape comprising a pair of opposed suspension strips made of crepe paper, the creping oi the paper extending crosswise of the strips for transverse ilexing thereof, and paper cross strips having their ends respectively secured to the inner sides of the suspension strips.

2. A Venetian blind ladder tape comprising a pair of opposed suspension strips made of relatively heavy nexible crepe paper, and cross strips made of paper oi.' a lighter texture than the suspension strips having their ends adhesively secured to the inner sides of the suspension strips.

3. A Venetian blind ladder tape comprising a pair of opposed nexibie suspension strips made of` crepe paper, nexible U-shaped paper Vslat supporting elements, each slat supporting element including a pair of attaching leg portions and a connecting bridge portion, and means securing the attaching leg portions to the inner sides of the opposed suspension strips.

` 4. A Venetian blind ladder tape as set forth in claim 3, in which the bridge portions of the slat 'supporting elements are provided with alined elongated slots for the passage of the raising and lowering cords o! a Venetian blind.

5. A Venetian blind ladder tape comprising a pair of crepe paper suspension strips, and paper U-shaped slat supporting elements, each slat supporting element including a'pair of attaching leg portions and a connecting bridge portion, said attaching leg portions being adhesiveiy secured to the inner sides of the suspension strips.

6. A Venetian blind ladder tape comprising a pair of paper suspension strips, and paper U- shaped slat supporting elements, each slat supporting element including a pair of attaching leg portions and a connecting bridge portion, said attaching leg portions being adhesively secured to the inner vsides of the suspension strips with the upper ends of thev leg portions of one slat supporting element underlying the lower corresponding ends of the leg portions of the next 

